Cyclerides.com Weekly Update
5/9/18

"The Hidden Gem, Hwy. 141 in Colorado"

After dinner it was back to the motel to get rested up for an early departure on Saturday morning to finally get to see the car museum that had been alluding us the last 4 years. Gateway is 100 miles NW of Telluride by way of Hwy. 145 to Hwy. 141 through the small town of Naturita. Hwy. 141 was one of those roads that I was anxious to ride because I had been told that it was good, but not even looking at a Google satellite map or flying it in Google Earth prepared me for the epic visual experience that we were about to embark upon following breakfast at Los Jilbertos in Naturita.

Heading North out of Naturita just a few miles down the road you make your first sweeping curve around the granite walled mountain with the San Miguel River tracking you on your right and the view of red rocks just ahead. At this point you will start to sense that the Unaweep/Tabeguache Scenic and Historic Byway is a very special place and that this is going to be a great ride. Now that this road has your full attention, what you don’t know is that the best is yet to come.

 

You will soon make a gradual 1000 foot decent from 5500 feet into the Unaweep Canyon where you will be flanked by shear red rock walls on both sides all while being shadowed by the San Miguel river that appears to be guiding you along your journey before handing off that task to the Dolores River that will usher you to Gateway. The lush green valley floor dotted with Aspens and Cottonwoods are a perfect compliment to the red rocks leading to the tops of the towering granite mountaintops that are mesmerizing you as make your way around the next turn.

 

Mrs. C. and I were both so awestruck by the raw beauty this Scenic Byway that all we could say was WOW! The beauty from the seat of a motorcycle was so breathtaking that you just wanted time to stand still so that you could absorb every bit of what you were seeing. It became just one fantastic view of shear red rock walls after another that seemed to reach 1000 foot above as we serpentine our way along this asphalt nirvana anticipating what would be beyond the next turn, almost making it hard to decide what to focus on next. And this goes on for 50 MILES! We just rode through Sedona and it is beautiful, but for a motorcycle rider, this road takes the riding experience to a whole other level and is the gift that keeps on giving, again and again.

 

One point of historical interest along the way is the Hanging Flume. In 1889-1890, crews built a wooden flume on the side of the shear cliff to deliver water to a mining project. The mine went bust and the flume was left to rot on the canyon walls. Portions of the flume are still there and you will wonder how in the heck they ever pulled this off. Pretty amazing especially for back then. You will find this approximately 24 miles North of Naturita. There is a pull off area to stop and look. This web site has some interesting background and close up photos of the Hanging Flume. Click Here.

 

We have ridden all over Colorado. The mountains in the Central part of the state are awesome, the beauty is undeniable and can be ridden over and over. But if you venture off to the West side of the State along Hwy. 141 you might be surprised at what Colorado has borrowed from Utah in terms of Red Rock and sandstone beauty as Gateway lies just 6 miles from the Utah border. The geology is that is exposed for all to see is interesting for all to see and try to understand.

 

As you crest the hill and pop out of the canyon into Gateway Canyons resort you will be greeted by an adobe styled multimillion dollar resort framed by the towering red sandstone landmark – The Palisade. Looking to the West horizon you will see the 12,000 foot peaks of Utah’s La Sal Mountains giving this resort a comfortable feel. Gateway Canyons offers many outdoor activities including mountain biking, fly fishing, hiking, off-road touring, air tours, Dolores River adventures as well as the Gateway Canyon Spa on site. This is also the location of the Gateway Car Museum. I will be following up next week with my report on the OUTSTANDING Gateway Auto Museum.

 

As a side note, a few years ago we took Hwy. 141 south of Naturita to Delores. While it is a good road and worth doing, if you have one shot at it, definitely take the road north of Naturita. I hear it is even good all the way up to Grand Junction. On this particular day, we turned around and gladly went back the same way we came on our way to Durango. Doing this road twice in the same day is a real treat. I have also included photos of the Million Dollar Highway in the gallery below.

 

Click Here for 124 Beautiful Photos of Hwy. 141 and the Million Dollar Highway. (Click Fullscreen for best viewing.)

Click Here for Map from Telluride to Gateway. Zoom in for details of road.

 

Useful Links:

Unaweep Canyon – Another resource.

The Hanging Flume Story and Photos.

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Until Next Week,
Blessings and Safe Riding To All,

Barry Caraway
"The Road Is Yours - Take The Ride"
www.cyclerides.com